The Bubblegum Thief
by 02AngelBaby75
Summary: Michael Corleone's son takes something that doesn't belong to him. Trouble ensues.


_My first Godfather fic. Just a little something I thought up. _

_Featuring:_

_Anthony (Michael's son) _

_Francesca and Kathy (Sonny's girls)_

_Vito _

_Michael _

* * *

><p>Anthony was hungry, bored, and beyond fidgety.<p>

His father had said he was going to visit Grandpa, and he could play with his cousins Francesca and Kathy, and as usual, keep an eye on his little sister. The twins ignored him and all little Mary did was sleep and drool on his hand when he tried to touch her. He knew it would be okay if he left her alone-the twins loved nothing more than a baby. Except for Francesca, who sometimes frightened him with her temper. He couldn't imagine her being kind to anyone, even her own flesh and blood, the way Kathy was.

He wandered around his grandfather's home, bumping into the odd person who would smile and sometimes ruffle his hair. Everything and everyone was so big to him. That was the one thing he didn't like about being at Grandpa's-he felt very small, very out of place. He looked for his Grandma, because if she wasn't working sometimes she would make him some cookies and milk.

Alas, he could not find her.

Defeated, he checked to make sure Mary was alright. She was laying on her back between Francesca and Kathryn, who were taking turns reading a storybook to her. Anthony didn't bother saying she couldn't talk yet and wouldn't understand them.

His sister seemed fine, so he decided to head out to the backyard and pick some grass or something.

Anthony's Grandpa Vito was outside in the fresh air as well, sleeping in his, "Comfy Chair," next to the tomato garden. His hat was pulled down over his eyes, and Anthony knew better than to disturb him.

Which was why what little Anthony did next absolutely shocked him.

He reached into Vito's pocket and stole away his pack of bubble-gum.

At first Anthony felt victorious. He had done the unimaginable-taken something from his Grandpa right from under his nose! But then his thoughts quickly returned to when his mother and father had given him a talk about saying things like, 'Please,' and, 'Thank you,' not taking things that don't belong to you. _Taking things that don't belong to you_…

But what made it the worst was that as he turned around to go back into the house, to his absolute horror he caught a glimpse of the twins watching him out the window. Of course, the moment he turned they would be off faster than the speed of light, but possibly, there were there. Anthony wouldn't think it if he doubted it was true. Even at a young age, he was quite logical.

Had they seen the whole thing? Had they been following him? How long had they been there?

At supper that night, which was Anthony's favourite, his Grandma's homemade spaghetti with tomatoes from the garden, all he could think about was his Grandpa, and how he was a pack of bubble-gum short.

Would he notice it had gone missing? Anthony nearly choked on a noodle at the very thought. Did he check his pockets before he went to bed to make sure he had a certain number of bubble-gums? Did he have a collection of bubble-gum? Did he even _chew _the stuff?

All these questions with no answers were making little Anthony feel wonderfully nauseated. Not to mention the fact Vito kept gleaning over at him and smiling at him in that weird little way of his, a strange smirk that plainly let him know he knew something Anthony did not.

But what worried him the absolute most, was that he had an awful feeling the twins knew what he had done. Anthony didn't think Kathy would say anything, but Francesca was an entirely different story.

"How was your day, Anthony?" Michael asked in a friendly voice.

Anthony ducked his head.

Across the table Francesca and Kathryn giggled.

However, Michael didn't seem to find anything funny. He threw a warning glance at his nieces, who immediately shut up. Satisfied, he turned back to Anthony. "What's the matter?" he asked with a sympathetic smile.

Instead of providing an answer, Anthony merely shrugged. He regretted the action the second after he had done it. There's nothing Vito hated more than a shrugger.

"What's this?" Vito dramatically imitated Anthony's shoulders. "Huh? What's that mean? Your father asks you a question, you give him a real answer. Not _this_." Vito shrugged two more times for effect.

"Sorry," Anthony quickly announced, raising his head. He never understood why shrugging was so bad, but he always tried his best to be, 'Behaved.' "It was good," he told Michael.

Michael nodded. "That's good, then."

"My day was awful," Francesca complained, pulling a pathetic face.

Vito looked concerned. "Why, my dear?"

Kathy elbowed her sister in the ribs, to which Francesca screamed much louder than necessary. _This kid takes after her father_, Michael thought with a twinge of sadness. He missed Sonny more than anyone would know.

After the general business that took place at the Corleone family dinner table, Anthony was feeling worse than ever at the end.

While Michael and Vito sat drinking wine, Michael rocking a crying Mary, Anthony and his cousins attempted a game of cards. Being so little, Anthony didn't quite understand what to do, and although the girls would never say so, they didn't either. It was something that had seen their own father do often.

The bubble-gum was burning in his pocket.

* * *

><p>Michael was helping Anthony get his shoes on as they prepared to go home.<p>

Grandma had come and kissed them goodbye. She patted Anthony's hair and told him in Italian, "_Buon ragazzo_."

"_Si, Nona_," he replied as usual. The thought of lying to his Grandma made him want to puke up his dinner. He certainly had _not_been a good boy.

Francesca and Kathryn were standing side by side, whispering things to each other. Anthony knew then. He knew they had seen him commit the horrible, despicable crime. He couldn't take this much longer, and when his father told him to come on, he needed to get home and have his bath, Anthony knew he had to tell Michael before he burst. "Daddy-"

"Uncle Michael, Anthony stole Grandpa's bubble-gum!" Francesca shouted. Kathryn elbowed her sister again. Simultaneously the girls threw their hands over their mouths in astonishment.

"Is that right?" asked Michael. "Did you do that?"

He stared at his dad but did not say a word. He had seen his father respond that same way when questioned by his mother.

Vito interrupted the stare down. "At least he's not shrugging."

Both girls started giggling.

"Well?" Michael asked again. "Did you steal from your Grandpa?"

Again Anthony just looked up at him. No words made their way to his lips and he forced himself to keep his shoulders down.

"Francesca, did you see everything?" Vito questioned the girl.

She nodded that she had trying to hide the smile that was creeping it's way to her lips. Oh, she liked to see Anthony squirm.

"Well," Vito replied levelly, "did you hear the conversation we had as well?"

"No," she said, thinking back. She gestured towards Kathryn. "We were both inside."

"So you don't know the whole story," Vito conclude matter-of-factly.

Vito now had a curious Anthony's full attention. Francesca had no idea where this was heading.

"Did you hear me tell Anthony to go in my pocket for a present?"

Now everyone was listening intently to Vito, especially Michael, wondering what his father was up to _this time_.

"No," she replied shyly.

"Of course not," he said, "so you really did not know the whole story, eh. Maybe you should not open your little mouth unless you're certain of what you're speaking about."

Francesca started to object but Vito cut her off by raising his hand. Everyone knew this meant it's _over_.

Vito looked over at his grandson staring wide eyed at him. He gave him a wink and a little smile. Not like the previous smile he had received, but a nice one that didn't make him feel unbearably uneasy.

Francesca could not take it. She burst into tears, running to the kitchen to find her Grandma for comfort.

"Come here." Vito gestured towards Anthony. "Come on."

Anthony rushed to grandfather and crawled up onto his lap. Michael watched, but Vito gave him a look that said this was between him and his grandson. That was the wondrous thing about Vito- he did not always need to talk, his gestures or facial expressions said more than words ever could. Michael looked away like something had caught his attention.

Vito pulled Anthony's face toward him to speak in his ear. The unshaven whiskers on his face burned Anthony's soft cheeks causing them to itch for quite a while after. Vito said, "You made me lie for you. I will allow it to happen once, we all make mistakes and I know wish you never did that because I would buy you a truck load of bubble-gum." Anthony wondered how his Grandpa knew he wished he never did it. "You're a good boy, Anthony, and I expect better. If you ever steal from anyone again I will give you the licking of your life...understood?"

Anthony heartfelt, nodded yes, and then gave Grandpa a kiss on the cheek and a smile that would melt the Antarctic.

"That's my boy," Vito said. "You know, Michael, this boy is going to break more girls heart's than Johnny."

Michael managed a laugh. "Well, Papa, I better get these kids home. I'll talk to Anthony then."

"No, no, no, there is nothing to talk about. Any talking is already done. He's a good boy and that's it…Right?"

"Yes, Dad, that's right." Michael knew that this was the end of the conversation about the gum and for respect for his father that he loved dearly he would leave it at that, for the most part anyway.

As Michael brought the kids to the car Anthony was gazing at the window when Grandpa appeared there looking right at him. Then his hand went up to wave good- bye and by the time Anthony responded Vito was gone. But up above at another window one of the twins was staring at him. He was not sure if it was Kathy or Francesca. Suddenly her tongue came out pointing straight at him, and then he knew which twin it was. The wicked Francesca.

Michael now opened the door for Anthony. Before he could get in his father put his hand on his shoulder and grabbed his chin and pointed his face in his direction so now their eyes locked.

"I don't know what happened, Anthony, but I hope all was well. Grandpa said you are innocent and I will take that as the truth. But don't ever let me know or hear that you have or do steal from anyone, family or not, again. The spanking won't hurt as much as the sight of your mother with a broken heart, little man!"

Anthony shrugged his shoulders, not letting Michael know if he agreed or not. Which he did.

Michael sighed deeply. "Don't let Grandpa see you shrug, he hates that."

Anthony stood up straight and looked toward the house again. Thankfully Grandpa was not looking out of any of the windows. What he did not know was that Grandpa was truly inside giving Francesca and Kathy both a lecture on not getting family in trouble and next time just talk to him and he will take of it. That way there would always be peace. This would be a hard lesson that the girls would learn in time, even though it would be hard for Francesca to swallow. She was a Corleone and she would tow the family line.

"Now, let's go get Grandma to get us some ice cream." He took both girls by the hand and started leading them to the kitchen. "How could I be so lucky to have the two most beautiful women in the world with me?" he asked, giving both girls hands a tight squeeze.

They both giggled and walked like they were movie stars.

Meanwhile, Anthony stared out the window at the passing buildings as his father drove them home. He even let baby Mary wrap her small hand around two of his fingers. He blew the biggest bubble-gum bubble in his life thus far, which promptly _popped_!, exploding, clinging to every inch of his face.


End file.
